Whitestown, Indiana — A tragic incident unfolded Wednesday morning when a house cleaner, Maria Florinda Rios Perez de Velasquez, was fatally shot after mistakenly approaching the wrong home. The 32-year-old mother of four was reportedly attempting to use a key to enter what she believed was a residence she had been hired to clean.
Authorities responded to reports of a shooting around 9 a.m. and found de Velasquez on the porch, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene, according to Boone County Coroner Justin Sparks and officials from the Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department.
Her brother, Rudy Rios, expressed heartbreak over the loss, emphasizing that de Velasquez was only trying to support her family. “She accidentally went to the wrong house, but [the shooter] shouldn’t have taken her life,” Rios said. “She was only trying to bring home the daily bread.”
An autopsy determined that the death was a homicide, but Sparks clarified that this classification alone does not establish that criminal charges will be pressed. Investigators are still collecting details about the case to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
According to Whitestown Police, de Velasquez and her husband were on the porch when the shots were fired. A police statement indicated, “the facts gathered do not support that a residential entry occurred.” Captain John Yurkosh labeled the investigation as “very fresh,” suggesting authorities are working diligently to piece together the events leading to the fatal encounter.
While police have not disclosed the identity of the shooter, they confirmed that officers responded swiftly to secure the scene and provide assistance. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, it was too late for de Velasquez.
The Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department and the Boone County Coroner’s Office have not released further information. Media outlets seeking comments have been directed to the ongoing statements regarding the investigation.
Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward and contact the Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department. The community mourns the loss of a woman described as dedicated to her family and hardworking, leaving behind four children and a devastated family.